Tag: Anthony Mollica

Foxboro’s Teddy Maher (middle) attempts to get past North Attleboro’s Josh Montague (left) and Chad Peterson (24) in the first quarter. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

FOXBORO, Mass. – After falling on the road to Milford last Friday night, the Foxboro boys basketball team fell a game behind in the race for the league’s Davenport division title.

But the Warriors entered this week with control over their destiny, and they didn’t let the opportunity slip away.

Following a big win over Canton on Tuesday evening, Foxboro used a big third quarter surge to create separation and earn a 56-38 win over North Attleboro, clinching a share of the program’s second Davenport title in the past three years.

Foxboro held a five-point lead (13-8) after eight minutes of play and stretched the advantage to seven (30-23) at the halftime break.

North Attleboro’s Josh Montague (10 points) scored at the midway point of the third quarter to keep the deficit at seven, but that’s when Foxboro blew the game open.

The Warriors rattled off a 13-1 run over the final four minutes of the third quarter. Senior Matt Rongione (six points, five rebounds, three assists) started the run with a three in the corner off a feed from senior Teddy Maher, sophomore Brandon Borde (16 points, five rebounds) converted a strong take to the basket and Anthony Mollicaa hit a free throw for a 6-1 run.

Over the final 60 seconds, Foxboro added seven more points. Joe Morrison (19 points, three assists) scored and then set up Borde for another basket. And then just before the buzzer sounded, Borde returned the favor, finding Morrison for a triple at the end of the period.

“I felt like the run was coming all along,” said Foxboro head coach Jon Gibbs. “I felt our defense had been pretty good. At times North made some tough shots and we missed some easy ones. I felt like it was just a matter of time until we made the run and we started finishing pays in transition.

“We have an unbelievable group of seniors, it’s the biggest senior class I’ve had. They have so much character, grit, and toughness. Their leadership has been unbelievable. Both games this week they came with incredible focus, effort and energy and they weren’t going to be denied. I’m really happy for them.”

The run gave the hosts a 51-32 advantage heading into the final period.

“The trademark of this team has been to win with defense,” Gibbs said. “I think that’s what you saw tonight. Our offense was somewhat inconsistent early in the game but we kept defending and getting stops. And eventually, we put enough baskets in the hoop to get the separation.”

Despite limiting Foxboro to just five points in the final frame, North Attleboro was unable to mount a comeback attempt as the Rocketeers scored just six points in the final eight minutes.

“I thought we worked hard, that’s been true most of the year,” said North Attleboro coach Sean Mulkerrins, “We had a couple of breakdowns, we let Morrison get way more touches than we wanted. Give them a lot of credit, their back cuts hurt us in the first half and we weren’t able to react or adjust enough.

“On the offensive side it’s frustrating but I give our kids a lot of credit because we started to get the shots we like and as a coach that’s what you want. You just have to make more than we did tonight.”

Foxboro’s defense helped build the lead early on. Despite North shooting 50% from the field in the opening quarter, the Rocketeers had eight turnovers in eight minutes. The Warriors capitalized with senior Bobby Harrison (11 points) accounting for nearly half of the first quarter points with six.

Both offenses came alive in the second quarter. Foxboro led by seven twice early on in the quarter, while the Rocketeers cut it down to three two times. Morrison’s traditional three-point play made it 19-12 but a three from Nate Gonsalves and back-to-back baskets from Jake Petersen (10 points, five rebounds) and Montague brought the visitors within three.

Chad Peterson kept it a three-point game with a nice pull-up but consecutive triples from Harrison and Morrison gave Foxboro a 30-21 lead with just over a minute left.

“They are well coached, they make good reads,” Mulkerrins said of Foxboro. “That’s the toughest thing to defend because it’s not a set thing. Our kids were working hard but we aren’t as experienced as they are and that showed tonight. When teams make runs we need someone to step up and tonight, I appreciate the guys trying, we just didn’t make the shot or get the stop or get the call.

“Hats off to Foxboro for the league title. That’s a team that’s really good defensively and [coming into the season] had some questions about offense but Jon and his staff did a fantastic job, they should be proud of themselves.”

Foxboro boys basketball (12-4 Hockomock, 16-4 overall) will close out the regular season with a pair of non-league games starting on Monday with a visit from Bishop Feehan. anorth Attkbopp(6-10, 8-10) needs to win both of its remaining games to earn a playoff berth. The Rocketeers will host rival Attleboro on Monday at 6:30.

Foxboro’s Joe Morrison rises up for a shot in the first half against Canton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

FOXBORO, Mass. – For nearly nine minutes in the second half, Foxboro’s offense was stifled by Canton’s 1-3-1 zone defense.

It was just the latest move in a chess game between the Warriors and the Bulldogs.

During that span, Canton cut the 10-point deficit down to just three, 29-26, with five minutes to play. Out of a timeout, Foxboro responded with its move, adjusting its offense to get the ball into the post.

The adjustment resulted in a 6-0 spurt over a two-minute span, helping the Warriors hold on for a 39-34 win over the Bulldogs, putting the teams into a first-place tie atop the Davenport division with just one game left.

“What you saw tonight was two evenly matched teams and two teams that were very well prepared for each other,” said Foxboro head coach Jon Gibbs. “Once you get to this point in the season, teams know each other so well and they’re going to take away what teams want to do. I thought you saw two teams tonight that played really well on defense and took away some of the top options on both sides. I’m just really proud of our guys the way we came out defensively with such energy.

Over its scoreless span, the Warriors tried to shoot out of the zone but went 0-for-9 from three-point range, 0-for-1 from two-point range and had one turnover. But out of the timeout with five minutes to go, Gibbs had the offense focus on getting the ball inside.

Matt Rongione (eight rebounds, five assists) executed the game plan, finding Borde (seven points, four rebounds) on the baseline with a bounce pass for an easy two. On the next trip up, Rongione hooked up with Borde once again down low for another two. Canton came out of the zone and Borde was able to track down a miss, leading to two free throws from Anthony Mollica, giving Foxboro a 35-26 lead.

“We definitely knew the 1-3-1 was a possibility so we spent some time over the past two days and had a couple of different packages,” Gibbs said. “Early on we were taking a lot of jumpers, and I thought they were good looks, but unfortunately none of them were going in. So at some point, you have to make an adjustment so we went with another look that got us some more paint touches and we were able to get free down low for a couple of layups and that forced them to come out of it.

“Canton’s 1-3-1 is really difficult to simulate in practice because they do it so well so I was really proud of our execution with some of that stuff.”

Canton made one more push as Foster (13 points) drilled a three with two minutes to go and Austin Maffie converted a putback with 1:25 to go, bringing the deficit to four at 35-31.

But Borde hit a free throw on the other end, Canton had a three rim out, and Rongione came down with the defensive board. Bobby Harrison (eight points) hit three of four free throw attempts in the final minute to ice the game.

“I feel like both teams know each other so well, each team knew what the other team was running, we all know each other’s strengths and weaknesses,” said Canton head coach Ryan Gordy. “I just thought it came down to a couple possessions here and there where there was a tip or a deflection, all of those little things add up. I thought the first game when we beat them we made more of those plays and this game I thought Foxboro made more of those, so hats off to Foxboro.”

Foxboro created its largest lead between the end of the second and early in the third. Harrison drove to the basket for two, Morrison (14 points) drained a three on a feed from Rongione, and Rongione converted at the rim himself to give Foxboro a 22-15 lead.

To start the third, Rongione hit a free throw, Borde hulled in an offensive rebound for put it back in for two, Morrison scored after a steal from Teddy Maher, and then Maher scored again after another steal of his own to make it 29-19.

“We talked a lot about winning plays and hustle plays because the first time I thought Canton made all those plays down the stretch,” Gibbs said. “There were so many times where they won the 50/50 plays, they got the offensive rebounds, the loose balls, all that stuff. I challenged our guys to be that team tonight and I thought we were. Some of the biggest plays we had were either offensive rebounds or diving on loose balls. We got two over the back calls because we boxed out so well.”

Canton then made the switch to the zone, which afforded its offense some time to get back into the game. Foster scored on a feed from Verille off an inbounds play and Foster hit two free-throws to get within five (29-24) at the end of three. Harris (nine points, eight rebounds) scored in transition on a pass from Foster to make it a one-possession game with 6:25 to play.

It took over three minutes for the teams to open the scoring in the first quarter. Foxboro led by as much as five on a Maher three, but Canton outscored the hosts 7-2 over the final two minutes, including a coast-to-coast layup by Harris at the buzzer to put the Dogs ahead, 11-10.

Foxboro boys basketball (11-4 Hockomock, 15-4 overall) pulls into a tie atop the Davenport alongside Canton with the win. The Warriors have a chance to win at least a share of the division title if they can beat North Attleboro on Friday. Canton (11-4, 15-4) is in the same boat and will have another shot at winning the division when it hosts Stoughton on the same day.

Canton, 44 @ Milford, 45 – Final – Milford junior Brendan White hit a three with 0.4 seconds left while being fouled, elevating the Hawks to a win after a wild final minute. Milford had a 42-40 lead with under 30 seconds to play and even got a stop but a jump ball gave Canton the ball back. Devin Foster (17 points) hit three free throws after being fouled to take a 43-42 lead, and after a Milford turnover, Foster hit another free throw to give the Dogs a 44-42 lead. But White took a pass from Kayden Kelley (10 points, 10 rebounds) and hit the winning shot while being fouled. Andrew Fraioli added 11 points and 12 rebounds for Milford while Tony Harris had 16 points for Canton.

Foxboro, 59 @ Stoughton, 53 – Final – Foxboro hit six three-pointers in a 30-point third quarter, turning a 32-16 deficit at halftime into a 46-46 tie heading into the fourth quarter. Bobby Harrison scored five of his team-high 15 points in the fourth quarter while Joe Morrison added 12 points and Matt Rongione had 11 points, including three triples in the third. Anthony Mollica added five of his eight points in the fourth quarter for Foxboro. Stoughton senior Cam Andrews had a team-high 18 points while senior Steevens Phelimond had a career-high 16 points for the Knights.

Sharon, 45 @ North Attleboro, 58 – Final – North Attleboro senior Chad Peterson returned from injury and scored a career-high 23 points, draining seven three-pointers to lead the Rocketeers to a win over Sharon. Peterson hit four triples in the opening quarter, two more in the second and another in the fourth. North led 34-27 at halftime and 43-38 at the end of three. The Rocketeers clinched the game with a 15-7 fourth quarter. Josh Montague added 11 points for Big Red while Jacob Petersen finished with eight points. Sharon’s Malik Lorquet had 19 points, 10 rebounds, and nine blocks while Alex Kaufmann added 14 points.

Girls Basketball
Mansfield, 58 @ Attleboro, 40 – Final – Meg Hill had her 12th double-double of the season with 21 points and 12 rebounds and she also added four blocks. Hill is now seven points shy of 1,000 for her career. Ann Maher and Sydney Mulkern each added nine points for the Hornets. Sam Pierce paced Attleboro with 11 points and Liv McCall added eight.

Milford, 42 @ Canton, 38 – Final

Stoughton, 19 @ Foxboro, 74 – Final – Foxboro went on a 17-0 run after the opening basket by Stoughton to take control and added a 10-0 run to close out the first half. Ashley Sampson was the game’s top scorer with 18 points, while Grace Tamulionis added 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Warriors. Foxboro also got 12 points from Lily Sykes and nine points from Abby Hassman. Val Whalen led the Black Knights with six.

Taunton, 42 @ Franklin, 69 – Final

King Philip, 45 @ Oliver Ames, 61 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Kayla Raymond continued her stellar play this season, scoring 31 points and hauling in 10 rebounds to led the Tigers to a win at home. Alex Sheldon added nine points and 14 rebounds while Erin Holmberg chipped in with eight points.

Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 73 @ King Philip, 65 – Final – Attleboro sophomore Bryant Ciccio scored 15 of his team-high 18 points in the second half, helping the Bombardiers storm past King Philip. The Warriors built a 20-point lead in the second quarter, but an 11-2 run from Attleboro made it a 10-point game at halftime (31-21). Ciccio and Dom Victor each scored six points in the third period, helping Big Blue outscore KP 25-10 in the period, including a three from Victor at the buzzer. Qualeem Charles added 11 points and 16 rebounds, Kevin Velazquez added 11 points off the bench, Nate Douglas chipped in with eight points while Mason Houle and Elvin Sam each finished with seven points, including key second-half triples. King Philip senior Pharoah Davis scored a career-high 23 points for the Warriors.

North Attleboro, 39 @ Canton, 58 – Final – Canton senior Tony Harris tied a program record with a career-high 36 points to lead the Bulldogs to a win over visiting North Attleboro. The Dogs built a 14-11 lead in the first quarter and then took a 35-21 lead into the halftime break. Harris hit seven three-pointers in the game, Austin Maffie had nine points and junior Devin Foster dished out 14 assists. Josh Montague had a team-high 12 points while junior Jake Petersen added nine points for Big Red.

Sharon, 54 @ Foxboro, 63 – Final – Sharon led 19-11 after one, and took a 26-25 lead into the half but the Warriors outscored the Eagles 21-6 in the third quarter to seize control of the game. Junior Anthony Mollica scored 12 of his career-high 18 points in the first half and Matt Rongione dropped eight of his 11-points in the third quarter to help the Warriors. Sophomore Brandon Borde added 11 points for the Warriors. Sharon’s Alex Kaufmann had a team-high 18 points.

Oliver Ames, 36 @ Franklin, 70 – Final – Franklin was in control from the beginning with sophomore Chris Edgehill scoring a team-high 24 points in the win.

Mansfield, 74 @ Taunton, 54 – Final – Mansfield opened the second half on an 11-0 run, turning a 37-26 lead into a 22-point advantage in the third quarter. Senior Tyler Boulter led the way with 22 points, including four three-pointers, seven rebounds, and three steals. Damani Scott added 13 points and six rebounds and Ryan Otto chipped in with 12 points for the Hornets, who had 10 players register points.

Milford, 66 @ Stoughton, 69 – Final – Stoughton senior Cam Andrews connected on a three-pointer as the buzzer sounded to lift the Black Knights to a division win over the visiting Scarlet Hawks. Milford junior Cam Falcon hit a deep three to tie the game with under 30 seconds to play but Andrews, who scored a career-high 36 points, hit the last shot to earn the win.

Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 58 @ King Philip, 53 – Final (OT) – Attleboro rallied from six points down in the final minute of the fourth quarter to force overtime and earn a sweep of the season series. Sam Pierce led the way with 21 points, while Nyah Thomas and Liv McCall each had 12 (including five in overtime). Faith Roy scored 15 for the Warriors and Julia Leroux added 12.

North Attleboro, 52 @ Canton, 68 – Final – Hannah Jerrier had career nights in points, rebounds and charges taken to help Canton pull out an important victory to push the Bulldogs back above .500 and get within two wins of a tournament berth. Jerrier finished with 41 points and 25 rebounds while adding four assists, three steals and two charges taken. Erin Devine also had a double-double for Canton with 10 points and 14 boards and added six assists as well.

Sharon, 30 @ Foxboro, 72 – Final – Ashley Sampson scored 20 points and Katelyn Mollica had 16 for the Warriors to keep the Davenport leaders unbeaten in league play.

Taunton, 29 @ Mansfield, 56 – Final – Mansfield broke the game open with a strong defensive second half, holding Taunton to just five points after going into the break tied at 24-24. Meg Hill continues to close in on 1,000 points for her career with 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Maggie Danehy also chipped in with a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds. Sydney Mulkern added nine points. Hannah Moniz paced the Tigers with 12 points and MacKenzie Handrahan had eight.

Milford, 42 @ Stoughton, 47 – Final – Aliyah Wright scored 14 points to lead the Black Knights to a sixth straight win, helping Stoughton get back to .500 on the season and take over second place in the Davenport division. Lindsey McDonald added a season-high 12 points and 11 rebounds for Stoughton.

Canton’s Devin Foster drives to the basket in the first half against Foxboro. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

CANTON, Mass. – In a game when points are at a premium, even the smallest of runs can make the biggest difference.

After six lead changes in the third quarter alone, Canton rattled off an 8-0 burst over a two-minute span to give the Bulldogs their largest lead of the game. The hosts never looked back from there, earning a key 61-48 win over Foxboro to give the Bulldogs sole possession of first place in the Davenport.

“That was just a great basketball game,” said Canton head coach Ryan Gordy. “The score says it was a 13 point game but it really wasn’t, free throws extended it at the end, it really could have gone either way. Two teams that play really hard-nosed basketball, I thought the stars were stars…[Devin] Foster and [Tony] Harris for us, [Brandon] Borde and [Joe] Morrison for them. Both teams have really solid role players…just a really awesome high school basketball game. And my hat’s off to Foxboro, they do a really good job with their guys, they’re always well coached and well prepared.”

Canton junior Devin Foster (24 points, five rebounds) banked in a step-back three-pointer at the buzzer of the third quarter to give the Bulldogs a 44-43 lead, and arguably, more importantly, the momentum heading into the fourth quarter.

The Bulldogs led by one (10-9) at the end of the first and a late three from Foxboro senior Teddy Maher sent the teams into the locker rooms tied 26-26. Neither side led by more than six points through three-quarters of play.

After Foxboro scored the first basket of the fourth to retake the lead, 45-44, the Warriors’ offense went quiet. Canton’s Tony Harris (23 points, six rebounds) started the run with a pair of free throws, Foster drained a deep three from straight away, and after a steal from Ryan Lentol, Harris hit a trey of his own to give the Dogs its largest lead at 52-45 with 3:32 to play.

The Warriors couldn’t answer as they had a turnover on the ensuing possession and then three straight misses. With just over a minute left and the shot clock winding down, Foster took his man baseline and finished at the rim for a 54-45 lead.

Foxboro finally broke its scoreless streak (spanning 6:20) when sophomore Brandon Borde (17 points, seven rebounds) hit a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to seven, but Canton hit seven of nine free throw attempts in the final minute while the Warriors went without a field goal.

Canton outscored Foxboro 17-5 in the final frame.

“Foster’s three at the end of the third quarter I think really changed the momentum of the game,” said Foxboro head coach Jon Gibbs. “I think it gave Canton a big boost and kind of sucked away some of our energy, unfortunately. Canton was obviously very well prepared and they were prepared to take away some of the things we like to do offensively and they were able to make things really difficult on us. Give Canton credit for their defense. I think it had to do with their defense more than anything else.

“Foster and Harris were tremendous, it seemed every time we started to build momentum, one of those two hit a big shot. They hit huge shots time and again, and they were really clutch. They did what big-time players do and really carried Canton. We’ll have to figure out how to do a better job next time around.”

Canton built a 10-4 lead through the first seven minutes of the first quarter, holding the Warriors to just 1-for-11 shooting. But after hauling in an offensive rebound, Joe Morrison (17 points, seven rebounds) drained a three and Borde scored on a layup on the next possession to bring Foxboro within one after eight minutes.

The Bulldogs never trailed in the second period either, but couldn’t pull away thanks to Foxboro’s work on the offensive glass. Harris had a three erased when Borde answered off of Morrison’s offensive rebound.

Jake Verille gave Canton its largest lead of the first half with a layup (19-13) but Borde converted at the rim, later hit a free throw and Morrison hit a pair of free throws to get Foxboro within one. Harris finished a traditional three-point play only for Borde to keep Foxboro close with a triple. Foster and Bobby Harrison traded baskets, Austin Maffie then put Canton up three, but Maher’s triple tied the game.

“A game that tight, every possession is so valuable that they really stick out…an offensive rebound really sticks out cause its an extra possession,” Gordy said. “That game came down to who was able to execute and grind out stops. Any offensive board or tip we got or they got, it just seemed huge.”

In the third quarter, Morrison hit a three to put Foxboro up 29-28, only for Foster to convert to give Canton the lead back. Morrison drained another triple but four straight from Foster put Canton ahead again. Matt Rongione went on a personal 5-0 run and two free throws from Borde gave Foxboro its biggest lead (40-35) with 2:30 in the third.

“Devin was just feeling it in that quarter,” Gordy said. “He had 11 in the quarter and it felt like he got hot at the right time, he put us on his back for a quarter and we were able to come out and play better team basketball in the fourth to put it away.”

Kyle Fitzgerald and Lentol scored back-to-back but a three from Anthony Mollica kept Foxboro up four. Harris brought Canton within two before Fitzgerald’s offensive rebound set Foster up for his buzzer beater.

“Kyle Fitzgerald, all that kid does it make toughness plays,” Gordy said. “He’s undersized but he plays big. He’s our catalyst, he does so much for us. He’s a spark plug off the bench and his contributions tonight should absolutely be noted.”

“I thought in the second half they started to get more of those 50-50 balls, more of the loose balls, more of the rebounds in the paint on both ends,” Gibbs said. “Those plays add up and can make a huge difference over the course of a game. Especially these grind-it-out Davenport games, every possession matters. If you can get your team an extra shot or extra possession, it’s huge. I thought Canton was really hungry in the second half…that huge three by Foster at the end of the third was off an offensive rebound. And we weren’t able to get enough of those for us in the second half.”

Canton boys basketball (6-1 Hockomock, 8-1 overall) moves into sole possession of first place of the Davenport and will be in action again on Friday at Stoughton. Foxboro (5-2, 9-2) will look to bounce back the same night when it travels to North Attleboro.

Foxboro sophomore Brandon Borde converts a layup in the first half against Sharon. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

SHARON, Mass. – With 29 career starts already under his belt, it’s easy to forget that Foxboro’s Brandon Borde is just a sophomore.

And you’d never know it based on his performance on Saturday night. Borde poured in a career-high 25 points in a dominant effort, helping Foxboro pick up a 73-46 win over the Eagles in the first Davenport division game of the season.

After starting all but one game during his rookie year (senior night), Borde wasted little time getting going during his seventh start of this season. He scored 11 points in the first quarter, helping Foxboro build a double-digit lead it never surrendered.

By halftime, Borde had already surpassed his career-high mark with 19 points and then added six points in the third quarter before resting for the majority of the final frame.

“We’ve been really begging him to be more aggressive in terms of looking for his own shot and attacking the basket,” said Foxboro head coach Jon Gibbs. “He’s such an unselfish kid and such a good passer that a lot of times he defers and he doesn’t realize how good he is.

“Obviously he got going tonight and I think he started to realize he could score almost at will and his confidence really got going. You can see what he’s capable of when he’s that aggressive. Hopefully, that aggressive mindset will become the norm.”

The Warriors and Eagles matched one another through the first five and a half minutes, but Foxboro seized control of the game by closing with an 11-0 run. A free throw from Bobby Harrison and three free throws from Joe Morrison after the buzzer sandwiched a 7-0 run from Borde himself.

Up 10-8, Borde hauled in a defensive rebound before converting at the rim on the other end. After Sharon came up with a block, Borde drained a three on a feed from Anthony Mollica, Sharon missed a three and Borde pulled up in the lane for another two to make it 17-10 with under a minute to play in the first.

The sophomore kept it going in the second quarter. When Sharon’s Malik Lorquet opened the frame with a traditional three-point play to give the home side some momentum, Borde answered with a strong take to the rim himself, converting while being fouled; he also converted the free throw.

After sophomore Will Morrison hit a pair of free throws, Borde read a cross-court pass, picking it off and laying it in for an easy two. Sharon’s Jayvon Monteiro responded with a layup of his own but Borde drained his second triple of the half on a pass from Joe Morrison, giving Foxboro a commanding 30-13 lead.

Foxboro took a 39-18 lead into halftime.

“We were right there with them for the first six and a half minutes but that last minute and a half really killed us in the first quarter,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Ferguson. “We knew how good they were defensively, Jon does such a great job with them. Joe Morrison did a great job, Brandon Borde did a great job. Our offense just got stagnant, we didn’t move the ball enough. We went a little one-on-one too much, and that’s a credit to [Foxboro]. They were able to take us out of what we wanted to do by executing what they wanted to do.”

Foxboro put to bed any hopes of a comeback with its best offensive quarter of the game, pouring in 21 points in the frame on 53% shooting. Both Joe Morrison (two three’s) and Borde scored six points in the quarter while Teddy Maher and Ryan Hughes each contributed.

Mollica capped the quarter with his first field goal fo the game, a three-pointer after Joe Morrison forced a turnover on the defensive end.

With both teams playing their starters, Foxboro held the Eagles to 38 points on 35% shooting from the field while forcing 17 turnovers. It marked the sixth time in eight games an opponent has scored fewer than 5 points with Mansfield (50 points) and Franklin (52 points) the lone teams to reach the half-century mark.

“Defense is where it all starts for us, and it’s a huge point of pride for us,” Gibbs said. “I think that’s definitely our calling card as a team. We have a lot of quick, tough, physical guards that are really good at containing dribble penetration. I think we make it tough for teams to get into the paint and break us down off the dribble. We just have some tough-minded kids, they really work at it, they’re really coachable. It’s definitely something we take a lot of pride in.”

Foxboro boys basketball (3-1 Hockomock, 7-1 overall) is back in action on Tuesday when it hosts Stoughton. Sharon (0-4, 1-6) will try to get back on track on Tuesday when it hosts North Attleboro at 6:30.

Baseball
Franklin, 4 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Franklin senior Steve Ferguson scored what turned out to be the winning run on a squeeze play in the top of the seventh and the Panthers held off a late surge from Attleboro to earn the win. Franklin scored two runs in the top frame to go up 4-1. Jake Noviello went 6.1 innings for Franklin, striking out nine with four hits allowed to earn the win. Bryan Woelfel picked up the last two outs to earn the save for Franklin. Offensively, Jake Lyons had two hits, including a double, and scored a run, Ryan Hodgkins belted an RBI triple and scored a run and Cam Lupien knocked in a run. Attleboro’s Matt Callahan had two hits, scored a run and drove in two, Dylan Maskell had two hits and an RBI and Tyler Davis reached base four times, stole two bases and scored once. Tyler McGovern was the tough luck loser on the mound, tossing a complete game. “He pitched well, made it tough for us,” said FHS head coach Zach Brown.

Foxboro, 9 @ Canton, 7 – Final – Colin Thoener did it all for the Warriors, tossing a complete game and knocking in a team-high four RBI in a close win over Canton. Thoener scattered seven hits, walked two and struck out five to earn the win while going 2-for-4 at the plate with four RBI. AJ Bubencik also had a strong day offensively, going 3-for-4 with three runs and a stolen base and sophomore Anthony Mollica had two hits, three RBI and two stolen bases.

Mansfield, 8 @ King Philip, 5 – Final (8 inn.) – Kevin Dow (2-for-4) knocked in Cullin Anastasia (2-for-3, RBI) for the winning run in the top of the eighth and Aidan Cahill brought in two more insurance runs — Max Boen (2-for-2, RBI) and Matt Farragher — as Mansfield escaped with an 8-5 win in extras at King Philip. Mansfield took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first but KP responded with two in the bottom half. The Hornets tacked on single runs in the second and third to make it 5-2, but KP cut into the deficit with a run in the third and tied the game with two runs in the fifth. Mansfield’s Kyle Moran earned the winning, tossing 3.1 innings in relief with just two hits allowed and two strikeouts. Stephen Murray knocked in two runs for KP while Will Weir (2-for-4, two runs) and Ben Furfari (2-for-4) each knocked in one.

Milford, 2 @ North Attleboro, 9 – Final – North Attleboro junior Peter Cohen shined in his first ever varsity start, allowing just one run on four hits and no walks, striking out five to lead the Rocketeers to a big division win. Offensively, the Rocketeers had nine hits, scoring two runs in the first, five in the second and tacking on single runs in each the third and fifth innings. Zach DeMattio (three RBI) belted a two-run home run in the first and John Brennan had a solo home run in the third.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ Taunton, 8 – Final – Taunton junior Christin Simoes had two hits, including a home run, and knocked in a pair of runs as Taunton prevailed against OA. OA took a 1-0 lead in the first, only for Taunton to respond with two runs in the bottom half. Taunton added three more in the third to take a 5-1 lead. OA didn’t go quietly, tying the game with four runs in the fourth but Taunton added three more in the sixth to get the win. Jacob Crawford added two hits and Matt Machado had one hit and an RBI for Taunton. Tyler Medeiros earned the win on the mound, tossing a complete game with seven strikeouts and four earned runs allowed. Oliver Ames’ Cam Johnson went 2-for-4 with a stolen base and an RBI and Sam Burr added two hits as well.

Sharon, 3 @ Stoughton, 4 – Final – Stoughton overcame a one run deficit with the tying run in the third and then the go-ahead run in the fifth to edge out the Eagles and clinch their second straight Davenport title. Senior Josh Roos delivered the big hit for the Black Knights, connecting for a one-out triple in the fifth and came on a sac fly from Ruben Gonzalez for what turned out to be the winning run. Gonzalez also scored the tying run in the third, scoring on a passed ball after singling and stealing second. Stoughton took the lead with two runs in the first on Luke Johnson’s two-out two-run triple. Johnson also earned the win on the mound, going six innings with three runs allowed on eight hits, three strikeouts and one walk. Evan Gibb pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the save.

Softball
Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin got all three of its runs within the first two innings and junior Jackie Cherry did the rest in the circle, tossing a complete game shutout. Franklin freshman Anna Balkus singled, stole second and used two wild pitched to come home. Ally Shea also scored in the first inning for the Panthers. In the second inning, Cherry helped her own cause, reaching in the second and having courtesy running Emma DiPhilippo scoring the Panthers’ third run. In the circle, Cherry allowed just two hits, issued two walks and struck out five.

Canton, 5 @ Foxboro, 10 – Final

King Philip, 4 @ Mansfield, 0- Final – King Philip Elise Pereira allowed just one hit while fanning 10 batters in a complete game shutout. Jenn Hutnyan paced KP’s offense with three hits, an RBI and a run scored while Hailey McCasland added two this and Faith Turnese contributed with a key pinch hit double. Mansfield’s Sarah Cahill had three strikeouts while giving up eight hits while Megan Letendre had the lone hit of the day for the Hornets.

North Attleboro, 3 @ Milford, 6 – Final – North Attleboro cut into MIlford’s 3-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the third but the Scarlet Hawks had an answer, tacking on two runs in the bottom of the fourth to pick up the win. The teams traded single runs in the sixth inning. Junior Emily Piergustavo paced Milford’s offense, going 4-for-4 with three doubles, three RBI and two runs scored. Kate Irwin (1-for-3) added three runs, Jess Tomaso had two hits and an RBI and Maggie Farrell reached twice and knocked in one run. MHS head coach Steve DiVitto said Maddy Bonvino “played an exceptional defensive game at second base.” Kelley Reichert picked up the win, going six innings, scattering five hits and striking out one. Ali Atherton earned the save, striking out two in one inning of work. For North Attleboro, Meg Barlow had two hits and a a run scored and Ashley Cangiano drove in pinch runner Kat Munley.

Taunton @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to Thursday, 5/18 at 3:45.

Stoughton, 12 @ Sharon, 0 – Final (6 inn.) – Brianna Ferrandiz went 3-for-3 with three RBI to pace the Black Knights on offense, while Gina Carafa allowed only two hits and struck out nine in a six-inning shutout. Jordan Lyons added two hits and three RBI and Nikki Coppola drilled a three-run homer for Stoughton.

Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 2 @ Sharon, 10 – Final

Canton, 18 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Canton senior CJ Martin netted first career goal and then went on to add two more to record a hat trick in the Bulldogs’ big win. Brian Albert and Alec Raguso also scored their first career goals while Connor Proctor and Matt Mackay found the back of the net for the first time this season.

Foxboro, 5 @ Franklin, 9 – Final – Franklin raced out to a 5-1 lead after the first quarter and used that strong start to take down Foxboro. The Panthers gained a 7-3 edge by halftime but were blanked in the third quarter by Foxboro’s defense and the Warriors cut the deficit to three at 7-4 entering the fourth. But Franklin recovered and won the fourth quarter 2-1 to prevail with a win. Eric Civetti had three goals and three assists, Packie Watson also netted a hat trick and had one assist and Nitin Chaudhury had one goal and one assist. Chase Tanner and Jake Davis each added one goal while sophomore Jacob Alexander notched 15 wins at the face off X.

King Philip, 21 @ Milford, 1 – Final

North Attleboro, 12 @ Mansfield, 6 – Final – North Attleboro built a commanding 7-2 lead by halftime and never looked back to notch a key road win and clinch the Davenport division outright. Jason McNeany won 10 of the 15 face offs he participated in to help give Big Red the possession edge. Jack Dakin scored a team-high five goals and added two assists, Zach McGowan (two goals, two assists) totaled four points and McNeany finished with a pair of goals and one assist. Owen Costello also recorded four points for the Rocketeers while Colin Young scored once and had one assist, Tommy Lindstrom added two assists and Hunter Sarro notched one helper.

Oliver Ames, 17 @ Stoughton, 7 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
Taunton, 12 @ Canton, 14 – Final – Emily Fabbiano scored six goals to lead Canton to a come-from-behind victory, while Mary Kent added a hat trick and Kathryn Doody made 11 saves for the Bulldogs. The Tigers were led by Abbey Kingman’s five goals and four from Alana Tavares, while Lorna Li made 17 saves.

Franklin, 9 @ Foxboro, 8 – Final

Milford, 5 @ King Philip, 21 – Final

Mansfield, 11 @ North Attleboro, 18 – Final – North clinched its tournament berth with the win and had 14 assists on its 18 goals. Chloe Olsen had four assists, while Julia Dakin, Katie Lindstrom, Kenzie Rosenberg and Erin Holley each had two assists apiece.

Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin bounced back from just its third loss with a sweep of Attleboro, dropping just four games total. Eli Brooks moved up a spot and earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles, Rohan Herur won 6-0, 6-0 at second singles and Tyler DiPalma, usually a second doubles player, notched a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of James Johnston and Derek Wu continued their strong season with a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles while Dan Angermeier and Tony Calderone won 6-1, 6-1 at second doubles.

Canton, 0 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final

King Philip, 3 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – King Philip prevailed from a competitive divisional match with Mansfield with a close win, taking two wins in singles and one more in doubles. Cole Ginter prevailed 6-1, 7-5 at first singles and Martin Matous recorded a 6-0, 6-0 at third singles. KP’s team of Ryan Gemelli and Marco DiStefano earned a key 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 win at first doubles to seal the win. Mansfield’s Luke Nickerson won 6-0, 6-1 at second singles and the team of Gus Daganhardt and Stephen Zenack won 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 at second doubles.

North Attleboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – It was a clean sweep for the Rocketeers, winning all five matches in straight sets to earn a road victory. Zac Pfeffer won 6-1, 6-3 at first singles, Alex Rinaldi moved up a spot and earned a 6-2, 6-1 at second singles and Alex Pfeffer prevailed from third singles with a 6-4, 6-2 win. The team of Daniel Zhang and Ben Pfeffer won 6-1, 6-4 at first doubles and Andrew Harris and Vikram Senthilakumaran notched a 6-1, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Girls Tennis
Franklin, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – The Panthers earned their second 5-0 sweep of the season, both coming in victories over Attleboro. Hannah Sweeney (first singles) and Anja Deric (second singles) won in straight sets without losing a game while junior Stephanie Schiavo won 6-3, 6-1 at third singles. Franklin’s first doubles team of Madison Derby and Julia Hogan won 6-4, 6-3 and juniors Jillian McLaughlin and Alexa Katsaros notched a 7-5, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Foxboro, 5 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Foxboro lost a total of four games in singles play, winning all three matches in straight sets in a win over Canton. Sophia Prinos won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles, Lexi Nelson recorded a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles and Julia Muise walked away with a 6-0, 6-4 victory at third singles. The team of Kayla Prag and Olivia Dantona won 6-2, 6-1 at first doubles for Foxboro while Jacey Nicklas and Morgan Krockta prevailed 3-6, 6-3, 10-4 at second doubles.

Mansfield, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – King Philip won a pair of matches in both singles and doubles to take down visiting Mansfield. Erin Regnier won 6-2, 7-5 at second singles and Meghan Sepich picked up a 6-2, 7-5, 10-5 win at third singles. The team of Megan Davenport and Carly Adams recorded a 6-4, 6-0 win at first doubles and Corinne Palumbo and Gracie Jarest won 6-1, 6-0 at second doubles. Mansfield’s Paulina Martin won at first singles, falling 2-6 in the first set before winning by default.

Milford, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Taunton, 5 – Final – Taunton’s Jillian Pagliuca prevailed in a tight match at third singles, winning 7-5, 6-3 to complete the sweep. Olivia Sweeney won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles and Jordan Pagliuca notched a 6-1, 6-1 at second singles. Taunton lost just two games total in doubles play with Ashley Eason and Emily Moor (first doubles) and Caroline Hebert and Jordan Martin (second doubles) each winning 6-0, 6-1.

Today’s games are listed below. The list is updated with all changes we have received.

Baseball
Stoughton, 6 @ Canton, 3 – Final – For the second straight game, Stoughton rallied from a deficit and plated the game-winning runs in the seventh innings. Jackson Maffeo’s three-run home run put the Bulldogs ahead 3-0 but Stoughton chipped away, tying the game with two runs in the sixth and went ahead with three runs in the seventh. Ryan Sullivan and Jack Connelly each had a single in the sixth and both came around to score to tie the game. Nick Hardy doubled to lead off the top of the seventh, advanced to third and came home on a double from Sullivan. Luke Johnson followed with a two-run double to put Stoughton up 6-3. Justin Hutchinson earned his seventh win of the seven, tossing three hitless innings with seven strikeouts. Hutchinson struck out the side in the sixth and retired the side in order in the bottom of the seventh.

Foxboro, 1 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Mansfield’s Colin Gibbons launched a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to give the Hornets a close win over Foxboro. Mansfield took the lead in the bottom of the second when Anthony DeGiolamo (1-for-2) drove in Cullin Anastsia (2-for-3). Foxboro tied the game in the top of the third when Anthony Mollica knocked in John Cronin. Gibbons finished with two hits in the game. Connor Sheehan earned the win in a complete game effort, allowing just four hits while striking out four.

King Philip, 1 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Sharon junior Max Tarlin tossed a complete game and the Eagles’ offense did all of its damage early to notch a non-league win over KP. Tarlin allows five hits, five walks, one earned run and struck out seven in a complete game effort to earn the win. After Ben Stamm battled for a single, junior Drew Naisuler (2-for-3, double) launched a two-run home run to put the Eagles head. Aiden Arnold (2-for-2) followed that with a triple and scored on a single from Danny Emerman. SHS head coach Kee Arguimbau said senior Jake Marglous played incredible defense at catcher for the Eagles.

Milford, 3 @ Taunton, 1 – Final

Softball
Canton, 4 @ Stoughton, 13 – Final – Nikki Coppola went 4-for-4 with two triples and four runs scored and Karly Estremera went 4-for-4 with a double, a run scored and two RBI to power the Black Knights offense. Gina Carafa had three hits and three RBI and got the win with six innings of work, striking out nine. Shannon Flaherty also had a pair of hits and drove in two for Stoughton. Canton was led offensively by Molly Loughran, who was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles.

Franklin, 9 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Franklin scored three runs in the third and added three more in the sixth inning to beat Foxboro in a game continued from Sunday (rain). Franklin held a 1-0 lead when the game resumed. Olivia DiGiacomo (four RBI) went 3-for-4 and put an exclamation point on the day with a bases-clearing double in the sixth inning. Kylie Bouzan added two hits and scored a pair for runs for Franklin. Jackie Cherry pitched four innings, retiring the side in order in the first, second and third innings. Emily Valentino pitched the last three innings and recorded three strikeouts. FHS head coach Kate Fallon Comeau said Tara Hartnett played excellent defense at shortstop.

King Philip, 3 @ Milford, 6 – Final – Holding a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth, Milford tacked on three runs and then held off King Philip’s late comeback attempt. Shannon Cormier went 2-for-3 with a stolen base, a run scored and an RBI, Kaitlin DeCapua had an RBI single, Maddy Bonvino had two hits, including a double, and a run scored and Emily Piergustavo reached base four times and scored one run. Ali Atherton (three strikeouts) earned the win, escaping a pair of jams in both the sixth and seventh innings. King Philip’s Hailey McCasland, Jenn Hutnyan, Jess Bonner and Nicole Carter each had two hits apiece for the Warriors.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Walpole, 13 – Final – Lexie Campbell had a pair of hits while Victoria Ziner (double), Caroline Mahoney and Katie Mills had recorded one hit for the Tigers.

Taunton, 24 @ New Bedford, 0 – Final (5 Innings) – Taunton booked its place in the state tournament with a dominating win against the Whalers. Courtney Fisher and Jaylin Couto combined on a one-hitter and struck out 11 batters. Kya Enos went 3-for-3 with four RBI and homer, Rebekah Lajoie went 5-for-5 with five RBI and a homerun and eighth grader Hannah Aldrich drove in four for the Tigers. Katie Van Zandt (three RBI) and Alexa White also hit homers for Taunton.

Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 8 @ Mansfield, 10 – Final – Mansfield goalie Sean Powers turned away 12 shots and Sam O’Connell accounted for four points as the Hornets clipped Canton. Tommy Donnelly and Mike Zampine had strong games on defense in front of Powers. O’Connell scored a hat trick and had one assist while Aidan Sacco scored twice and Cullen Murphy, Hunter Ferreira, Joe Cox and Brad Grant each had a goal and an assist. Danny DeGirolamo also scored once for Mansfield.

Oliver Ames 4 @ King Philip, 10 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
King Philip, 14 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final

Boys Tennis
King Philip, 4 @ Canton, 1 – Final – King Philip earned wins at second and third singles and swept doubles play to beat Canton. Martin Matous won 6-3, 6-2 at second singles and Marco DiStefano recorded a 6-2, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of Sam Collela and Ryan Gemelli prevailed 6-3, 6-3 at first doubles and Aidan Ignatius and Jake Webster won 6-2, 6-2 at second doubles. Canton junior Jake Wolicki earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles.

Sharon, 4 vs. Bishop Feehan, 1 – Final – Sharon picked up an impressive non-league win, sweeping doubles play and notching two wins in singles play to beat the Shamrocks. The team of senior Alex Romantz and sophomore Danujan Thirumavalavan won 6-1, 6-7, 6-2 at first doubles and Ashwin Sreevatsa and Alberto Olivei won 6-4, 6-3 at second doubles. Fred Bondar notched a 6-3, 6-1 win at second singles and junior Andre Olivei recorded a 6-4, 6-3 win at third singles.

Taunton, 5 @ New Bedford, 0 – Final – Taunton recorded its third straight win with a rout of New Bedford. Sophomore Brett Beaulieu won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, Mike Briggs recorded a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles and Eric Gwordz won 6-0, 6-2 at third singles. The team of Charlie Fiske and Dylan Kullas prevailed with a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles and Kyle Dennehy and Alex Pugh won 6-0, 6-3 at second doubles.

Girls Tennis
Stoughton, 0 @ Attleboro, 5 – Final – Attleboro won all three singles matches in straight sets and recorded a sweep of the Black Knights. Torey Lussier won 6-3, 6-1 at first singles, Bri Aronne won 7-5, 6-1 at second singles and Anna Nelson emerged from third singles with a 6-1, 6-4 victory. The team of Taylor Palermo and Merri Piazza nothched a 7-5, 6-7 (3-7), 7-5 win at first doubles and seniors Brooklyn Palermo and Cam Liberatore won 6-0, 6-3 at second doubles.

Canton, 3 @ Milford, 2 – Final – Canton swept doubles play and earned a win at third singles to edge Milford on the road. Kiki Karavas won 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 at third singles to help the Bulldogs clinch the match. The team of Julia Burkowsky and Jena Moyle won 7-5, 6-2 and Stelina Michaelidis and Sarah Hernandez won 6-1, 7-5 at second doubles. Milford’s Julie Rabinowitz won 7-5, 6-1 at first singles and Allison Buckenmaier won 6-2, 6-2 at second singles.

Taunton, 5 vs. New Bedford, 0 – Final – Taunton lost just three games in doubles play in a big win over the Whalers. The team of Emily Moor and Ashleigh Eason won without a blemish, picking up a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles. Callie Hebert and Jordan Martin recorded a 6-1, 6-2 win at second doubles. In singles play, Olivia Sweeney (first) won 6-1, 6-0, Jordan Pagliuca (second) won 6-3, 6-1 and Jillian Pagliuca (third) won 6-3, 6-2.

Boys Track
Milford, 78 @ Canton, 58 – Final – Canton’s Muhammed Sambo and Cordell Smith each qualified for states but the Bulldogs fell to Milford. Sambo came in first in the 200M at 23.1 while Smith finished first in the high jump (5’10). Gerry Sullivan also came in first for the Bulldogs, clocking in at 2:11.9 in the 800M. Canton swept the 400M hurdles with John Guenthner coming in first (1:01.1), Matt Floyd (1:03.6) coming in second and Riley McDonnell (1:04.00) taking third.

Girls Track
Milford, 78 @ Canton, 58 – Final – Canton’s Bronwyn Mahoney and Sarah Collins each won a pair of events but Milford prevailed with a win. Mahoney took first in the shot put (29’6.5″) and discus (68’8″) and Collins won the 400M hurdles (71.5) and the 800M (2:34.5). Andrea McNeil was first in the one mile (5:57.4) and second in the 800M (2:37.3) and Jimisha Williams crossed first in the 200M (28.0).

Baseball
Foxboro, 11 vs. Coyle & Cassidy, 6 – Final – Foxboro’s offense came to life, plating a season-high 11 runs in a key win over D3 foe Coyle & Cassidy. Senior Cam Feldman had a pair of hits and knocked in three runs, senior Aaron Wentling had three hits and two RBI and sophomore Anthony Mollica had two hits and a pair of walks. Wentling tossed a complete game with just two earned runs allowed and three strikeouts.

Stoughton, 2 vs. Brockton, 0 – Final – Stoughton scored both of its runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and senior Justin Hutchinson shined again on the mound as the Black Knights picked up a win over neighboring Brockton. Senior Ryan Sullivan and sophomore Evan Gibb had back-to-back one-out singles in the fourth to get the offense going. Hutchinson had an RBI single to knock in the first run. After a single from Nick Hardy, Matt Gallagher had a sacrifice fly to bring Gibb in. Hutchinson threw six scoreless innings, keeping the Boxers without a hit for the first five innings. He allowed just two hits, two walks and struck out four for the win. Luke Johnson struck out two in a scoreless seventh inning.